Understanding Messenger Express Customization

Sun Java System Messenger Express lets you rewrite the “static” portion of the pages
served by the Sun Java System Messenger Express HTTP daemon to produce a fully customized
webmail service. Messenger Express supports both JavaScript and HTML in implementing customization schemes.

Understanding Messenger Express Components

Sun Java System Messenger Express consists of two components, the client and
the server. The client reads and interprets the JavaScript language. The HTTP server
understands proprietary protocols that communicate with Messenger Express. The JavaScript
files reside on the server and are downloaded to the client. The client extracts data
from the JavaScript code to customize Messenger Express functions. All modifications and customizations
are done on the server.

HTML files contain both text and markup describing how the text is formatted
and handled. Markup is implemented through a set of tags, which specify things like
headers, indents, font size, italics and so on. These are largely static tags that
deal exclusively with text within the HTML file on the client. However, the HTML also
contains dynamic tags, such as JavaScript embedded in the client file, that point
to files and functions on the server. The dynamic tags enable the HTML file client
to pull in data processed on the server for use in otherwise static Web pages.

HTML files provide the skeleton structure of each of the interfaces, whereas
JavaScript files give the specific attributes. Each of the JavaScript main functions
are contained within an HTML parent function. There are differentiations within the
JavaScript files themselves. The file main.js primarily controls the layout of the
interfaces, whereas the file i18n.js controls the text. The i18n.js file also can be localized to fit the language
of many regions in the world.

The HTML files are the parent functions that call the main functions in the JavaScript files to initiate actions.

Locating the Customizable Files in Messenger Express

The Messenger Express JavaScript and HTML files that can be customized reside in the msg_svr_base/html directory, where msg_svr_base represents the directory path in which you install the
Messaging Server software. The server needs to be restarted for any changes in the
HTML and JavaScript files to take effect.